First, I do have a post in the works regarding the completely UNBELIEVABLE fact that Sweetness turned 1 last week. But that’s not what I want to blog about today.

Here’s my confession. Since my period returned in the end of June (right when I went to nursing only morning and night), I’ve been unable to NOT notice when I might be ovulating and unable to NOT try to time things. It’s a sickness really, a disease. And of course, I haven’t been shocked my period does arrive, right on schedule. Why would I set myself up for this? After 2+ years of unprotected, perfectly timed sex resulted in nothing, you think I would have figured out not to get my hopes up.

What really gets me is that we found a GREAT house the other day. Liked it so much that we went to the open house today. It is almost my dream house. Front porch, nice back yard, tons of storage in the basement, eat in kitchen, etc, etc. And I’m tired of our house. I feel like it is getting smaller by the minute but mostly I’m tired of townhouse living, of hearing my neighbors sneeze. On one side this 60 year old guy plays his war video games so loud, I worry Sweetness is going to grow up thinking she’s in a war zone. I’d like to not have the police at my pothead, juvenile delinquent’s house on a weekly basis (especially since that does not stop him from dealing all day long). I want a drive way…and a back yard with a playset…and a front porch with rocking chairs where I can have a glass of wine at the end of the day.

We could swing it, it’d be tight because I don’t think we’d get as much for our current house as we’d like. But we could make the payments. What is stopping us then?? Our Player To Be Named Later. We’re starting to think about another baby. Not seriously because sleeping through the night has become a precious commodity. But we’re at the point where we are now thinking about it. And we don’t know what it will cost us. We could get lucky and only need to spend about 4000 like we did with Sweetness or we could be looking at 20000 or more. And that makes me mad, down right angry even. And then I get all “It’s not fair, woe is me, my life sucks”. And I know that’s pathetic and my life is wonderful but it still isn’t fair. Because IF has taken the whole “white picket fence, house in the burbs with 2.2 kids” and slashed it. It’s almost like I can have one or the other.

I know others have said it as well but I want to have a bottle of wine with my hubby and then be surprised 2 weeks later when I’m pregnant. I want to not worry if, with each passing cycle, my eggs are turning more and more to shit. I want to not think about insurance, referrals, HSG, ultrasounds, nurses, blood draws, medication, injections, hot flashes, and failure. God, the failure. Part of me doesn’t know if I’ll ever be ready to deal with all that again. It was such a dark, dark time where I hated myself. And I don’t buy the “you’re so young line’ anymore. First off, being young didn’t help me too much in the beginning. I was 28 when we started trying, 31 when Sweetness was born. If we do decide to head back to the doctor’s this spring, I’ll be 32 almost 33. Times awasting.

I’ve got 12 minutes before I have to wake Sweetness up to take her to PT so I figured I’d use my time productively writing a post as opposed to mindlessly playing on F.acebook. Because this is productive!

Mel had a great post about resolving infertility that put into words what I’ve been feeling so much better than I ever could. I just assumed that when I had a child, through whatever means it took to get said child, that I wouldn’t have to deal with IF anymore. Well you know what they say about assuming. I’ve read other bloggers for whom it’s true but for me, personally, it couldn’t be more false. Yes, the childlessness is gone and the gaping hole in my heart has been filled but I’m still stuck feeling broken. The thought of doing this whole thing over again to give Sweetness a sibling weighs down on me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not laying in bed crying over this 24/7. I do try to enjoy every second of her sweet baby-ness, partially because I know better than to take for granted that I might get to experience it again. But the slightest trigger brings it all back. Could be someone asking me what I’ll do different for #2 or of course, someone joking that I’ve been fixed and better be careful because they know [insert random 16 degrees of separation here] who got pregnant without treatments for their second.

All the language around the IF urban legend of getting pregnant after treatments doesn’t help the feelings of brokeness. So many people have used the verb “fix” when giving me their un-solicited assvice. Yet they tell me not to use “broke”. Huh???

So with 1 minute left, that’s where my head is at. I was trying not to blog about it too much. I mean really, who wants to read about someone lucky enough to have a baby complain about IF or feeling broke. But I might be blogging it out more often, just to clear my head. So thanks in advance for putting up with me.

So lately I’ve felt like I’m circling two different worlds, not really a member of either one but also not having a place to identify with. Like one of those funky Venn diagrams from 8 grade. You know, you’ve got Circle A and Circle B and a the little place they overall is A and B….but I’m an R or something crazy off to the side. I’d like to be an A and B in that small cozy little spot in the middle, surrounded on all sides by the amazing people of both circles, but it just doesn’t work that way.

Here’s my case in point…and I admit in advance that it is a kind of lame example. I’ve mentioned before that I love f.lair on f.acebook. Well on the same day last week this beautiful lady sent me some f.lair all about how annoying fertility advice is. We all agree, it most certainly is. You ladies are all my A circle. You are were I am most comfortable. However, everyone not in this circle seems to think that I ran like a bat out of hell away from Circle A and never looked back…that I’ve been ‘cured’ or something. Later on that same day my dear cousin (who is one of the very few IRL people who knows every gory detail of our trek to get pregnant) sent me some cute pregnant f.lair about creating people. How fun would it be to be a part of Circle B?? Just to be pregnant, taking it all for granted, complaining with everyone else, making conception jokes (this is a post for later in the week, I just lifted my baby shower ban, thinking I could pretend to be in Circle B but I soooo can not). Circle B was what I wanted all along…but I can’t fully join and, even more to the point, when I try to join, those Pure Circle B’s don’t really want me. I scare them I think. Especially when they already ask when we’ll be trying for a sibling (seriously, can’t I get this one out first) and I say that we aren’t sure if we’ll go through all the rigamaroll again and that we’re just focused on this amazing blessing. I don’t think they like the reminder that you can be young and still have infertility…that it could be them next time.

So that leaves me with either being the A+B in the middle….or that R floating somewhere in the corner. A+B is tricky business, I haven’t been able to find a good way to navigate that circle. And I didn’t put up either of those pieces of flair, because I can’t figure it out. But being an R….well being an R just sucks. It’s lonely. And I know this is my issue. All of my lovely A ladies do not make me feel excluded, I do that to myself.

Not sure where all this leaves me…just had to dump a bit. Thanks for reading (and thanks for the diaper bag advice earlier….only problem with those discount sites is that I want more than 1). Oh and I did take pictures of the crib and dresser (and I did cry as they carried them upstairs) and I’ll post them as soon as I upload everything.

I shouldn’t be sad and I shouldn’t be sitting here thinking about what could have been. This week would have been the due date for my little November angel. I only knew I was pregnant for 5 short days but, at the time, they were the 5 best days of my life. I don’t think I ever really gave myself time to grieve the loss. I jumped right into my first IUI days later, pumping myself full of hormones. Hormones always do wonders for mental states, right??

So now I sit here, just feeling sad. I’ve tried to think of a better word for it, something more descriptive, but sad really covers it. And I feel horribly guilty and wrong for that sadness. As I am typing this, I can feel little Q moving inside of me. I am so lucky and blessed. And I know that there are many women out there who pass a missed due date and aren’t as lucky. Right now my heart breaks for them. So while I do feel bad about being sad, I can’t help but think about what could have been.

As I think about it more, I think my general sadness is really more due to this bringing back all of the IF crap. This baby would have been a do-it-yourselfer. Conceived in our own home, own bed, with just the two of us there. As cliched a story as it would be, getting pregnant on the cycle before starting treatments, who really doesn’t wish that happened to them? Instead I got a big, bloody reminder that we couldn’t do this ourselves. Instead I went headfirst right back into day 3 ultrasounds, shots, watching the sunrise waiting for a morning wanding. Random doctors either cracking lame jokes between my legs or filling the room (and my uterus) with their god-like complex. As people around me joke about what we must have been doing last Christmas, me thanking Mr H for the diamond earrings, he got a flat screen so I got a baby, and other lame jokes like that, I think to myself…you have no fucking clue. Christmas I was 2 days past my iui and spent most of the day in tears. I think that is what I’m mourning more than anything else. The fact that the baby we made by ourselves couldn’t make it.

Saturday night I came full circle, I was right back being the infertile girl crying in the bathroom of a restaurant, except I was the pregnant infertile…if that makes any sense.

The night started out innocently enough, we were at an engagement party right on the water in G.eorgetown. I’m happily drinking my seltzer and cranberry juice talking to some people I hadn’t seen in forever when another couple shows up. She sees my belly, does the whole ‘how far along are you’ thing and says she’s pregnant too, but she barely has a heartbeat yet and can’t wait for her dr’s appointment in 2 weeks. The girl is 6 weeks 3 days pregnant. Now let’s start with the fact that this is someone I already am not a huge fan of. She then goes on and on to talk about her pregnancy (all 2 weeks she’s known about it), but then mentions that she had been trying for a year and a half and it gets not too fun. For a second I think I’ve found a fellow stirrup queen and I agree with her. She then goes on to talk about all the stress people put on themselves when they don’t get pregnant right away and how that just makes it worse. That all of this infertility business is just women wanting immediate gratification (ha….you can tell she never waited for test results, nothing immediate about all that) and everyone just needs to relax. Now I know I should have used this as an opportunity to do a little bit of education, but I just couldn’t. Instead I (rather bitchily) mumbled under my breath, “your baby could be dead already and you don’t even know it” (**ok, not proud of that comment at all, I don’t think anyone heard me. I really don’t wish a miscarriage on anyone) and excused myself. Seconds later I found myself in the bathroom just sobbing, just like I used to when I’d show up at a party and discover someone was pregnant. I guess she brought up all those old emotions, I’ve had people say those same things to me before and they always generate the same reaction: anger and tears. I guess now is no different. Part of me just wishes I could have been that naive.

Other than that little episode, I had a great weekend. No pics taken, I was running really late getting ready but with my bro’s wedding this weekend, I’m sure there will be plenty!

Sunday I bit the bullet and started a registry. Talk about overwhelming. Halfway through the store I didn’t think I was going to make it so we stopped and just did what we had to do…the crib. They say allow 8-12 weeks for delivery but I’ve heard it taking as long as 16, and we’ve only got 17 to go (again, hoping I’m not tempting fate with all this). But we actually made our decision fairly easily. If I can find some pics on line I’ll post them. I just want to check around online for the best price and should have it ordered by Wednesday. Sucks that we need to go back, since the store was a complete zoo, but there was no way I could have finished. We were both so overwhelmed by everything. And I thought I was well prepared having read the books, flagged the pages of things I was interested in, etc.

Now back to work, luckily a short week since I’ll be leaving early on Thursday and am taking Friday off for the wedding. I’m going to be such an emotional basketcase. I’m just so glad my brother picked someone I like, she’s already my sister, just now we’re making it official (ha, makes it sound like I’m marrying her 😉

If you’ve got a sec, go send some love to Leah. She’s probably having little Spidey as we speak!

Turns out I’m not the 0.001% that has a false negative on a pee stick! But they did say I could continue on the Pr.ometrium for a day so I’ll be able to go away. I completely agree with those of you who said that IF has taken so much away from us. I can not let it take this too. My aunt has been like a second mother to me. At times growing up I was closer to her than to my own mom. There is NO way I could not be there to celebrate her 60th birthday with her.Now while I did say I was Ok..well…that’s a lie. So please indulge me in my few minutes of wallowing, whining, and tears. And recognize that there have been several glasses of wine involved tonight. Here is why I needed this cycle to work. In June 2006 at my annual exam, my gyno looked over my charts and told me to give it 6 more months. She said if I wasn’t pregnant at Thanksgiving, to call and make an appointment. Every single day in December I put off making that phone call. As much as I knew there was a problem…and I wanted to fix it….I just couldn’t say it out loud, or admit it. Finally, right before Christmas, AF showed up again. The very next day, I got up the strength to call and make my appointment. The only way I did was by telling myself over and over again that Christmas 06 was going to be the last Christmas I spent child-less. I promised myself that I would at least be pregnant by Christmas 07. And I’m not. And I am not ok with that.Ok, I’ve cried my tears and will move on, I just had to get that out. It sucks to break a promise, especially one you made to yourself. And on a lighter note, looking at a calendar, IUI #2 just might fall on Christmas Eve…meaning there’s still a chance I could be pregnant for Christmas 07…I just wouldn’t know it at the time 😉thanks for all the hugs…I love them!!

That’s me today…and that’s pretty much how this post reads. I’m bulleting so I can get everything out easiest.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my RE. Seriously. And I know I shouldn’t announce my love for him this much since he does get all up in my business and there’s a possibility he impregnated me (as an aside, I so want to get this shirt if I get pregnant). On Sunday he called to see if I had any questions following the IUI. Monday morning I emailed him a few of my questions. He called back a few hours later and then after leaving me a voicemail, replied to all of my questions via email. I am going to start expecting this responsiveness from all my doctors! True, I pay him a bit more than a regular ol doc, but I’m still impressed.

My questions were all about our next cycle (for my mental health, I need to keep moving forward and thinking of plan b). I thought we had a pretty sucky response to the cl.omid and folli.stim. He didn’t think just one follicle was a bad thing. I want to be slightly more aggressive and he is thinking Cl.omid again, but this time with Fo.llistom on CD 5 and 7, instead of 9. Not sure what I’m thinking. I need to ask him a few more questions. My biggest concerns are that we only have 6 IUI’s covered lifetime. And pie in the sky thinking, I’d like to have 2 kids. Which brings me to my next point…(and brings out the Hyde)

Why on earth do people seem to think I should only have 1 child? Just because I’m infertile am I not entitled to that american dream of 2.4 kids and the picket fence? Don’t get me wrong, I will be beyond thrilled if I have a child but am I supposed to completely give up my dream of a large family? When I’ve mentioned this lifetime benefit and our plan for 2 children, two different people have expressed shock that we would want more than one child.

Not sure how I’m going to handle the whole dr thing. I want to walk that fine line between successfully advocating for myself and respecting his knowledge and opinions. It’s a pet peeve of mine when my clients or parents of students don’t walk that line with me and I do not want to be the name in his inbox that causes him to cringe (since I have more than a few of those)

my freaking boobs! They HURT! Not quite as much as last month’s chemical but still more than any other cycle. I know, I know, it’s the meds. At this point, if it’s not a pregnancy symptom, I don’t want to deal with it. I don’t need another part of my body with bruises on it.

Ok, ranting over. Any assvice on the meds or anything else is welcome. And thanks for putting up with me

Made myself new playlist in case I get nervous waiting tomorrow morning. HA! In case!!! Let’s play fix the sentence (since you all know that I’m a grammar geek I can tell you that was one of my favorite games in school). So here’s the edited version: Made myself a new playlist for when I get nervous waiting tomorrow morning.

Mr H has decided he wants to do his part at home. Of course he decided this too darn late to get a collection cup. So he has decided to get up earlier than he has to, drive there, get the cup, drive home, do his business, then drive back there. Can you tell this is a man who usually takes public transportation? I don’t think he has any idea what traffic will be like but it’s not me that’s driving. As long as he gets that sample to them at 9 I’m not letting myself stress about it. (again HA!)

Thanks for all the good wishes. Keep those good thoughts coming tomorrow around 10:30!! Oh, and for Lea Bea who asked, I did 50 mg C.lomid CD 3-7, and 75 iu F.ollistim CD 9 and 11 with an O.vidrel trigger CD 13. I’m a little upset about not advocating for a more aggressive plan back in August but not only did I trust my doctor and was nervous about the side effects, but I also wanted to respond to a low dose and not need the heavy hitters (especially not that 2nd shot of F.ollistim….that shit burns). But as much as I don’t want to, I’m glad we’ll bring out some bigger guns next time around.

That’s what I spent last night thinking about. How on earth did we get here. I actually started this post the night of my first C.lomid. I know it’s pretty low tech compared with so many of the other treatments out there. Kind of like being in awe of an electric screwdriver when everyone around you is building houses….or something lame like that. But seriously, I do not completely understand how I got to this point.And tonight’s my first injection. So naturally I picked about 3 fights with Mr H last night. Only one of which I had a legitimate reason for being mad at him. Anytime I mention being nervous about the injections, he makes some stupid comment about imagine I’m a diabetic, then I’d be doing it every day. Well I’m not! And it’s not insulin I’m injecting, to keep myself alive, it’s massive amounts of hormones, in the hopes of creating the possibility of getting pregnant. Very different situations. And then last night I was watching the video from the RE and I’m flinching every time the model injects herself (which btw, who signs up for that acting gig??). Turn around, Mr H says no big deal and pretends to do it to himself a few times. Easy for it to be no big deal for him, it’s all pretend to him. So that was our real fight and then I picked stupid fights with him for the rest of the night. Between my catastrophizing all night long and those stupid night sweats/hot flashes I got no sleep. I’m sitting here in bed exhausted, trying to get up the energy to get in the shower and go to work late and all I can keep thinking is…how did I get here?? And I don’t have an answer.

Anywho, thanks for all of your support in coming out about our IF. Don’t give me too much credit, it was to a very select group of people. And so far so good. Only one off the wall but well meaning response…but she’s kind of crazy anyway. One very weird story that started out with someone writing “my childhood neighbor’s cousin”. As if that isn’t a red flag right there. Apparently this girl was told by an RE that she would never get pregnant without fertility meds but then got pregnant accidentally while on the pill while on vacation! Yes, you speed readers read that correctly….while on the pill. Now I don’t know about you, but I’m NEVER using any type of birth control ever again. Why….because I’m freakin infertile!!! After that I stopped reading that particular story. I mean maybe they wanted her to have regular periods or something but the while thing seemed a little fishy to me. Obviously she was a little confused. My aunt did ask if she could tell my 14 year old cousin. Seems to me like she’s opening a whole can of worms talking to a 14 year old boy about fertility treatments but hey, not my kid. Still not sure how I feel about that one. I’ll have to think about it.

oh…and here’s why it’s getting better. I came home from work today and Mr H had booked us a weekend at a B&B. There are a bunch of wineries around it and some hiking. He had printed out all of this info on it and made reservations at a yummy looking restaurant. I am so excited for a weekend away. And we have to rush back Sunday for the Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuce concert that night! (that would be Bru.ce Springsteen) It’s going to such a great weekend! Too bad I can’t take tomorrow off but I’ll make it through. Hopefully all these good things will minimize the C.lomid side effects. Are all of you veterans laughing your asses off at that one???